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Rift: Travels Through Telara Part 2 - Regulos and the Blood Storm

Join Guardian scribe, Padraic, and his trusty, yet slow-witted lackey Bran, as they travel the length and breadth of Telara documenting the people, places, history, and folklore of the world. Before its all gone.

Greetings once again, dear reader. It is I, Padraic. You find me a bit
worse for wear this morning. As you may recall, Bran and I came to
Thedeor Fields to begin our journey exploring the people and history of
our fair world. Unfortunately, this is also the location of the
Sanctuary of Rebirth, where the Ascended are brought back from the
dead. (I think we will visit the Sanctuary soon. Perhaps we can witness
one of these brave heroes stepping back through the veil.) What I
failed to realize is that even reborn heroes need beds and breakfast,
so every tavern and hostelry within a five mile radius is booked
solid. (And might I just say I find it disgusting how the
owners of these establishments are inflating their prices to take
advantage of this boom in business. Some of them are charging ten times
the normal rate.)

Anyway, what this means is that Bran and I had to sleep under the open
stars last night, and I am now as stiff as an amateur actor on opening
night. Every cloud has a silver lining, however. We had beans for
supper last night and Bran's digestive system is as primitive as his
intellect. I shudder to think how I would have coped in a closed room.
I have sent him off to find some food, but seeing as this involves him
actually interacting
with people, I do not hold high hopes. In the meantime, I thought it
would be illuminating to touch upon the reason we are all in this sorry
state of affairs. Regulos and the Blood Storm.

Let us start with Regulos. Or to give him one of his more popular
monikers, the Devourer of Worlds.

Regulos in his dragon form

Regulos is also known as, The
Destructor, the Dragon of Extinction and the Devouring Snake,
and believe me, all of these names are well deserved. He is the most
powerful of the dragon gods that make up the Blood Storm. (The others
are Crucia, Akylios, Laethys, Maelforge, and Greenscale.) Each of these
dragon gods come from a different plane, but it is only Regulos who
hails from the Plane of Death, which I suppose explains his thirst -
nay, his need - for destruction.

Actually, are we even entitled to condemn Regulos? He is the product of
his environment, after all. He cannot help what he is. (I paused after
writing the last line to have a good old think, and Ive come to the
conclusion that it was a silly thought. Yes, we should condemn
him. With much gusto and shaking of fists. We may be the products of
our environment, but in the end we all make our own choices.)

Regulos is also the Prince of Lies. He whispers in your ear, promising
you everything you want. Power. Eternal life. Wealth. He will
tell you whatever you want to hear. Perhaps that is why he is so
terrifying. (Besides the fact that he is also a dragon god from the
Plane of Death.) That his whispers could be mistaken for our own
dreams, our own ambitions.

Laethys, from the Plane of Earth

The Blood Storm Wars

The Dragon Gods first descended on our world 1500 years ago. It was a
confused, terrifying time. The dragon gods were trying to wipe us out,
while at the same time battling amongst themselves for control of the
world. Because of Telara's abundant supply of Sourcestone, the building
blocks of life itself, Telara was considered too big a prize to share.
Each of the gods wanted it for themselves.

It was a time of pain. Of suffering. But It was also a time of heroes,
of epic stories and legends born. The people of the world united under
a common cause. The dwarves emerged blinking into the sunlight. The
humans ventured out of their tribal lands, while the High Elves left
the shelter and protection of the forests. All of Telara came together
to fight the invaders.

But it was a long, bitter fight. The Age of Dragons, as it came to be
known, lasted for centuries. It was a dark age in Telaran history. Yet
even the darkest of nights can be pierced by glimmers of hope. Heroes
rose up among the people, and one by one they defeated and imprisoned
the dragons until only Regulos was left. Even he succumbed. A group of
heroes destroyed his physical body and banished him to the planes. The
Gods of the Vigil, realizing that their policy of non-interference was
perhaps ill-advised, helped arcane masters construct the Ward, a
magical barrier that would shield Telara from the fury of the planes.

The Age of Dragons was over.

But is another on its way?

Regulos falls

Everyone thought Regulos was gone forever. But we did not factor in
ambition. Greed. These traits are our very own versions of Regulos,
whispering in our minds, beguiling. Goading. And when Prince Aedraxis
Mathos listened to these voices, war came once again to Telara. He
breached the Ward, attempting to summon Regulos. He was stopped, but
the Ward now crumbles, and as it crumbles the prisons that hold the
Blood Storm at bay weaken. It is only a matter of time before the
dragon gods break free.

Ah, I see Bran returning. And glory be, he is carrying a sack. What
wonders has he managed to rustle up? Some freshly bakes bread, perhaps?
Some newly churned butter? Some cheese?

He arrives at our campfire and upends his sack. A block of wood falls
out. Plus a small, metal toy.

And a womans skirt.

I look at him expectantly. This should be good.

The block of wood is in case we get bored. We could whittle something
with a knife. The toy is well, the same really. In case we get bored.

And the skirt?

Well I just thought it looked nice. Perhaps I can fashion it into a
cape."

"You want to fashion a cape out of a woman's skirt?"

Bran nods. "It will make me look striking, don't you think?"

"Bran, I ask this already knowing the answer, but did you, in fact,
bring us any food?"

Bran's face falls. Ah well. Perhaps a trip into Ardenburgh is in order.
I hear Borrin Gammult, the King of the dwarves, has been brought back
by the Vigil. Perhaps he will talk to us.